Jazz Articles about Lenard Simpson

About Lenard Simpson

Radio & Podcasts

A New Beginning for Lenard Simpson

by David Bixler
February 2, 2026

What does it mean to embrace a new beginning? For Chicago alto saxophonist Lenard Simpson, it means answering the call of faith. Inspired by the prophet Isaiah's famous directive to “forget the former things; do not dwell on the past," Simpson's release, New Beginnings (Lenard Simpson Music, 2024), is a stirring, soulful journey. With pianist Julius Tucker, bassist Runere Brooks, and drummer Samuel Jewell, this quartet masterfully blends the spiritual depth of the Black Church experience with the soaring improvisation ...

Album Review

Kenny Reichert: Live in Chicago

Read "Live in Chicago" reviewed by Glenn Astarita

by Glenn Astarita
January 16, 2026

Kenny Reichert has been steadily building his reputation within the modern jazz world, and Live in Chicago stands as perhaps his most revealing statement to date. Recorded at Pro Musica with a hand-picked quartet featuring alto saxophonist Lenard Simpson, bassist Ethan Philion, and drummer Devin Drobka, this five-track collection captures something increasingly rare in contemporary jazz recordings: genuine, unvarnished spontaneity within a live setting. What is immediately striking about this record is its commitment to expansiveness. Each of ...

Album Review

Zachary Finnegan: Guidance and Gratitude

Read "Guidance and Gratitude" reviewed by Nicholas F. Mondello

by Nicholas F. Mondello
July 30, 2024

Guidance and Gratitude from trumpeter and composer Zachary Finnegan delivers nine highly-textured and involving selections. Each selection presents itself with a story background in its title and each is a multi-layered composition, a micro-symphony. It is intelligent music. “Urban Motion" is an energetic, perhaps frantic, landscape with an ostinato six-note bed and a reflective interlude before Finnegan takes off over Camila Minnitte Pereyra's furious drumming that is negotiating with him. There is also an all hell breaks ...

Album Review

Kenny Reichert: Switch

by Mark Corroto
June 23, 2024

Chicago guitarist Kenny Reichert works extremely hard to make his sound come across as casual on Switch. If you do not count the numerous discs with his partner Sara d'Ippolito Reichert, this is his third release as a leader. It follows Deep Breath (Shifting Paradigm Records, 2023) and returning from that previous outing are vocalist Alyssa Allgood and drummer Devin Drobka. Anchored by the rock steady pulse of bassist Ethan Philion, the title track opens with Reichert and ...

Album Review

Alex Beltran: Rift

by Hrayr Attarian
May 16, 2024

Chicago-based saxophonist Alex Beltran delivers a tour de force with Rift, an exploration of identity in a musical form. Beltran, who grew up in two distinct cultural spheres, those of his Latino father and his white mother, describes in the liner notes how he never fit with either side of the family. This became a source of inspiration for his cohesive debut as a leader, which features seven of his compositions and a cover of the electronic duo, Sylvan Esso's ...

Album Review

Christian Dillingham: Cascades

Read "Cascades" reviewed by Maurizio Zerbo

by Maurizio Zerbo
April 9, 2024

Questo CD può rappresentare una bella sorpresa per chi non segue i mille rivoli del copioso panorama discografico statunitense. Ne è protagonista il bassista Christian Dillingham, già distintosi per la rara versatilità nel padroneggiare la cultura eurocolta, la tradizione jazzistica e il mondo del gospel grazie alla pluripremiata collaborazione discografica con il cantante Kirk Franklin. Nel brano d'apertura si individuano i principali orizzonti espressivi di un progetto fondato sulla semplicità tematica, sull'esplosione gioiosa e innodica di una musica ...

Album Review

Christian Dillingham: Cascades

Read "Cascades" reviewed by Hrayr Attarian

by Hrayr Attarian
September 7, 2023

Chicago bassist Christian Dillingham is a truly versatile musician. In addition to excelling at various genres, including jazz, western classical and gospel, he appeared on singer Kirk Franklin's Grammy winner Long Live Love (RCA 2019). Dillingham is also an accomplished educator, composer and bandleader. He demonstrates these skills as he leads his quartet on his debut Cascades, a cohesive and original work which is intense, thought-provoking, and soulful. A dramatic ambiance permeates the captivating “South State Line Road"; ...